Improvement in system of fire-alarm and foltce-teleg-ravhs



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S. D. GUSHMAN SYSTEM of' F135 ALARM AND PQLIGB TBLEQRAPH.-

vNo. 105,552. Patented July 19, 1870.

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- 5 Sheets-Sheet 2. s. D. ausm/IAN,v SYSTEM 0F FIRE ALARM AND POLICE TELEGRAPH. 515,105,552.

Patented July 19, 1870.

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S..D-. GUSHMAN. SYSTEM 0F FIRE ALARM AND PGLIGE TELEGRAPH.

No. 105,552. Patented July 19, 1.870.

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S. D. GUSHMAN. SYSTEM 0F PIRE ALARM AND PoLIoE TBLBGRAPH.

`No. 105,652. lPatented July 19, 1870.

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4 5 Sheets-Sheet 5. l s. D. OUSHMAN. SYSTEM 0F FIRE ALARM AND PLIGE TELEGRAPH.

`Patented July 19, 1870.

l'o all whom it may conce/riz.-

' s-'YLVANus n'oUsnMAN, or NEW LISBON, Ass

FIRE-ALARM OOll/IEANY,l OFLEETONA, OHIO.

Letters Patent No. 105,552, dated July 19, 1870,

IMPROVEMENT 1N SYSTEM or' FIRE-ALARM AND :nomen-TnLne-Reims.V

The Schedule referred to n these Letters Patent anzi mal'zin/g' part ci the same 'Be .it known that I, SYLvaNUs D. GUSHMAN, of New Lisbon, Columbiana county, Ohio, have ,invented a new and improved System of Fire-Alarm and lolice-Telegraphs; andthat the following is a full, clear,

and exact specificationv thereof.

Nature'` and Objc'ctsof my Invention."l The first part of my invention relates to the combination of a series of signal-stations or boxes arranged at short distances from cach other throughout a whole city, or a large portion thereof', with a series ot' electromagnetictelegraph-Soundersor gonginstruments, `located one at keach of the principal oiiices of the fire department of' the cit-y, (such as the chief engineers otice,'engine-houses, hose-houses, and hook-and-ladder houses,) andwith altelegraph circuit, (termed a tire-alarm circnit,) provided with suitable battery power, and having` alli the signal-,boxes and fire-department instruments arranged in it, so that a signal ofiire giyen at any oneoi' the signal-boxes `will be directlyaud telcgraphically transmitted to each and l all of the lire-department instruments in the city,

The second part oi `my invention relates to ar' rangement of a continuons tire-alarm telegraph circuit, embracing all the. signal-boxes and fire-depart- 'ment instruments in the city, or a large port-ion thereof, in two or more loops, which are so combined with` the sections of thecircuit battery as, in effect, to disl tribute the batteryr into-thc circuit wit-hout the-,necessity oloeating the different sections of the battery in different localities in the city, whereby a more uniform electrical ,tension is maintainedou all parts of the circuit, and ,the `1abor1of keeping the various signal-box ,and fire-department instruiients in velectrical adjust.` ment .ismatcriall y diminished.`

The third partot' my invention relates to the combination and arrangement of a continuous fire-alarm telegraph-circuit, embracing all the signal-boxes and fire-department instruments in the city, ora large portionlthereof, and arranged in two or more loops, with a suitable battery,land with aswitch-board,provided withsuitable:switches and ground-wires, the said signal-boxes and {ire-,department instrl'unents being either or both of them provided with suitable switches and metallic ircuit, with `distributed battery, or as a continuous ground ,and metallic circuit with distributed battery; or as twoor more metallic circuits, or as two or more' groundand metallic circuits, each circuitlxaving its own battery, formed 'by dividing the main-circuit battery, whereby the superintendent of telegraphs is enabled -t-o electrically repair the telegraph circuit whenever the samev is broken, either by accident or design, and can thus keep the city under the protection of the fire-alarm telegraph atall times, thus greatly increasing the utility of the telegraph for fire-alarm purposes.

lhefonrth -part of my invention relates to the combination, with a re-alarni telegraph circuit embracing'all the signal-boxes and lirc-delmrtxnent instruments inthe city, or alarge portion thereof, of'a talking or police-tele--lgraph circuit,vprovided withsutable battery,'and worky Ving independent-of the fire-alarm circuit, but having asuitable telegraph instrument at each of the fire-dejpartmcnt otiices in the iircfalarm circuit, and a telegraph instrument at each of the police stations in the y city, or portion thereof, `if found desirable, whereby the tire department, and, it' desired, the police department, are provided with a separate .telegraph circuit ou which to transact 4their ordinary business, so that the `fire-alarm circuit is reserved exclusively for iirelalarm purposes, whilc the two circuits act in combination, each with the other, for the pnrposeoi' locatingV breaks in either circuit, thus enabling the telcgraph superintendent to'locatc and repair breaks in v either circuit with great dispatch. rlhe iit'th part' ot' my invention relates to the combination, with the Itelegraph Yinstruments in those firedepartment oii'iccs .which are provided with an -instruv ment on' both the {irc-alarm and police circuits, of a,

telegraph-switch, with an accompanying ground-wire, or of two switches, located one at each side of the telgraphic mechanism, and provided each with a ground;- wire, or `with' a branch of a common ground-wire,

-whercby thc attendant at any of the tire-department oiiiccs can ground broken circuit att-hat oi'lice, when requested by the telegraph superintendent operating on the unbroken circuit, bywhich the superintendent is enabled to readily locate the break in the broken circuit, and can at once pnt the greater portion oi' the broken circuit into' service, by directing the attendants t lat the oiiices at cach side of the break `to ground the, y broken circuit at those points, thus-ciiecting the elcc- 1 trical repairing of the circuit in a few moments time,4

and without leaving thc oilicc, or without leaving any considerable portion 'of the circuit out vof service.

The sixth part/oi' my invention relates to thecombination with the electrical mechanism ot' the signalboxes ,of a tire-alarm telegraph circuit7 of two switches located at each side'ot said' mechanism, and each provided witha ground \vir e,ior with a branch of a communi IGNoR fro THE AUTOMATIC- ground wire, whereby the telegraph superintendentor his assistant can at any time electrically repair the broken circuit, so as to keep the whole line in service, by going to the section of the line in which he had located ,the break before leaving the oiice, and putting on the ground-wires atthesignal-hoxes at; each side of the break, on the side of the boxes toward the break, thus bringing the circuit, with all t-he instruments, into service in a very quick and rapid manner, while if the break were in one of the signal-boxes in place of being in the line itself, he will at once detect it, thus affording a simple means of detecting any faults in the circuit through the instruments, which are very liable to be overlooked in the search for the break in the circuit.

The seventh part of my invention relates to the coinbuation, with any ofthe loops in a nre-alarm'telegraph circuit, of a wire termed a cross-ground wire, which is attached to the distant central part of the loop, and extends to the switch-board in thc telegraph superintendents office, or to a tire department otiice, whereit .is provided with azsnit-able switch and ground-wire, whereby the superintendent is enabled to ground the loop at a point distant from his oice without leaving the oicc, or without any loss of time, thus greatly facilitating the location of any break in the loop.

The-eighth part of my invention relates to thecoustruction of a continuous tire-alarm telegraph circuit, embracing a suitable battery and all the .tire-department instruments and signal-boxes in the cit-y, or a large portion thereof', the signal-boxes in the said circuit being provided with such automatic operating mechanism and switch mechanism as that the closing ofthe door of the said signal-box switches theelectromagnets out of the circuit without switching out the operating mechanism, whereby I obtain a combined working and reserve circuit, the working circuit consisting of the'line proper and the wire on the electromagnets in the tire-department instruments, and the reserve circuit consisting of the. wire on lthe electro- 5 magnets in the signal-boxes, which are put in combination with the working circuit whenever the box is opened and brought into service, but which are liever in the circuit except when the box is in service, which, in the ordinary construction of tire-alarm telegraphs, makes about half ofthe total circuit a reserve circuit, (as the ordinary length of line between any two boxes is about half a mile, and .the length of wires on the electro-magnets in each signal-box is about haif a mile;) or, it' the length of the circuit is measured by the amount of electrical resistance overcome in passing over such circuits, the reserve circuit is nearly six times as long as the working circuit, (as the halt' mile of wire'on the electro-magnets has an electrical resistance equal to about three miles of common line,) thus obtaining a tire-alarm telegraph circuit which affords a more complete telegraphic system of communication between all part-s of the city than any of the old systems of tire-alarm telegraphs, but which can be worked with from one-half to one-sixth the amount of battery required for the old systems, and which is much less liable to injury from atmospheric electricitythan'any of these old systems. Y

Description. of Accompanying Drawing.

Figure l is a,plan of drawing showing the applica-- Figure 8 is a longitudinal section of battery.

Figures 9 are front and end elevations of switchboard.

'Figure 10 is a diagram of fire-alarm circuit with distributed battery.

Figures 11 are diagramof tire-alarm circuit wit-h concentrated battery, with corresponding arrangement of switch-board.

Figures 12 are diagrams of tire-alarm circuit working in three separate metallic loops, with corresponding arrangement of switch-board.

Figures 13 are diagrams of fire-alarm circuit, workin one ground-loop and one metallic loop,with distributed battery, with corresponding arrangement ot' switch-board.

Figure 14 is a diagram showing another mode of working large loop shown in figs. 13, by uniting the circuit-loops and concentrating the battery.

Figures 15 are diagrams showing a mode of electrically repairing break in line between stations 10 and 11, by Working with one ground circuit with distributed battery, wit-h correspomling arrangement of switch-board.

Figures 1G are diagrams showing mode of electrically repairing tire-alarm circuit, in case line is broken between stations 11 and 12and between stations 2 and 3, by working in two ground-loops, withcorrespending arrangement of switch-board. I

Figures 17 and 18 are diagrams showing the application of two of the old systems of tire-alarm telegraphs to the drawing ot' city shown in tig. 1.

General Description;

-The space inclosed by double lilies or frame, in fig. 1, is supposed to vrepresent a city, in which my improved system is to be introduced.

The switch-board 27, and key-board 28, to'fether with the battery, constitute station 20, which is the oticc ot' the superintendent of telegraph, and which, from the nature of the telegraphie operations there performed, may be termed the repair ofice.

rlhis repair oiiice7 is most conveniently located in .the cent-ral part of the city, in any suitable roomor building which may be provided for thc purpose.

Stations 1, 8, 13, and 1.7, represent the enginehouses, hose-houses, hook-aiul-ladder houses, chief engineers oticc, or any other branches or otces of the tire department in various localities in the city, which should be informed of. the existence and location ofatire in the city.

Stations 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12,15, 16, and 18, represent the signal-stations or boxes, which are placed in various localities in the city, at such distances from each other as to bring every point in the city within a reasonable distance of a signal-station.

Stations 4, 9, 14, and-19, represent police stations, in different parts of the city,'which are conveniently brought into thetalking-circuit of the fire department,

both to afford a telegraph-circuit for the'police department, and to enable the police to co-operate with thefire department. in the care andprotection of'property in caso of re. v

In order to render more clcarthe construction and operation of my system, I will'first'describe the charact-er of the different mechanisms used in connection therewith; then explain-thc .arrangement of the different circuits; thenf illustrate the practical working of the system ;V and then show wherein it differs from previous systems. y

. The first, and motor. mechanism `of thesystem, is the battery, .which may be of any of the well-known forms, (Groves sectional battery being a convenient oue for the purpose,) but, for purpose of simple illustration, I have shown a modified form of' NVollastons battery, which consists of a plain baked wood box, dvivided, by partitions X, into several cells, in each of hereafter sli'owii.4

which is arranged a zinc plate, W, and a double copper plate, U.

The coppcrplate is of' a n-forni, as showiii'n fig. 7', and sits asti-ide oi' the zinc plate, as shown in iig. 8, so as to bringl a suri'ace A of coppeihopposite each surface of the ziuc-.plates and au arm, V, on each copper Pla'tc U, is connectcdwith the zinc plate W, in the next cell, as shown inffigs. 1 and 8..

The battery is represented as being in four sections,

`the poles of which are indicated by plus and minus signs, the section P Pbe-iug for tiie`policeci rcuit, and

.the sections A', B', E', li", and Of D, being the sec#- tions of the fire-alarincircuit battery,.` which circuit is The signal-boxes consist of a box ot' iron, orotlier suitable material, provided with a door, I, which is kept locked, to prevent persons from giving false alarms.

These signal-boxes are yusually secured to the outside of buildings located atstreet-conners, orto tele.- graphfpoles at such corners, and at suoli distances from t each other as the city authorities may. deem necessary foi' the protection of property. Each boxis designated by a particular number orv letter, and has written .on it, ornear it, directions as to where a key may be found, and, usually, directions are affixed on the inside of the door, to direct persons y how to give an alarm. The operatiug mechanism in' the signal-box may be the ordinarykey mechanism, or au automatic mech- `.ani-sm, or botli classesof mechanism may be combined in the box, which will usuallybe found to be the betfor a. more completo description.-4

The key mechanism consists of a simple spring-key, vM, oi' an ordinary form, and the elctrofniagnets N, with a pivoted' armature, (arranged as a-siinple sounder,'or having a hammer and gong ar `anged in conocetion tliei'ewitli,) are arranged on the bottom of the box, as shown. f

0n the back` of the box is secured the spring switch G, on which is the rd H, which is' struck bythe doorl I, whenclosed, thus pressing the spring switch G onto 'its anvil, and closing theswitch. i l

The circuit through the box is from the point 21, through the automatic key K, spring ke'yM, and electromagnets 'N, to the point 22, as indicated by dotted lilies, and the switch-crcuit is from the spring key M,A Athrough the switch G, to the point 22, as is also indicated by dotted lines, from which it is seen that, when '.tli'e door I, and,cousequently,the switch Gr, are closed, the `electro-iriagucts N will be switched out of the main ciifciiit,-all=cf whicliis more fully explained in I Letters Patent No; 103,150, granted to Sylvanus D. Gushmam May 17,187 0, for tiie-alarnitelegraph signal-box.

. The pii'ptfsivitcl'ies, -1'0 and 20, are arranged on the Ibex-circuit, one at each side ot' the electrical inecliaiijv lism, and are arranged to' connect with ground-wires,

marked R G W aiid- L G 1V, which may be vseparate wires, orbranclies of a coininon'lwire, extending *from tbe signal-box down into the ground. i

The lire-alarm instruments, represented in iig. 5, consist of a springltey, Q, electrofn'iagncts S, pivot-ed armature lever T, and gong R, wi-'th t-lic suitable spring and tension devices common to such parts.

The circuit through these instruments is from the y arranged to work in o ne, two,` or three loops, as will point-23, through the magnets S' and key Q, to the point 24, as indicated by dotted lines, andthe pivot-v sivitclies 25 andv 26H are arranged on the box-circuit, one at each side et' the electrical mechanism, and are arranged to connect with the ground-wires 'It G- W an L G W, which extend, either separately or as bi'aiielies ot' the same ground-wire, from the instru meut into the ground.

The talking-circuit, or police-circuit instruments,4

represented in Iig.I 6, are of the'same general construction as the' fire-alarm instruments represented in fig.' 5,- and it is desirable' to have them provdedmvith switches and right and left-hand ground-wiresfas is shown in drawing. l t

If preferred, both the nrc-alarm and police-instifuf ments could be made as common Sounders, without the hammer and gong, 'or the fire-alarm instrument could be a gong-sounder, and the police instrument a common' sounder; but, in practice, I prefer to make Y both,instruinentsgong-sounders, especially where' they are located at the engine-houses, where there is liable tobe considerable noise.

The fire-alarm and police instrumentsat the enginehouses, which are on both the fire-alarm and policecircuits, are placed close to each other,'or at such distances from eachother as to enable persons at lone instrument topliear the blows-ortaps outlie other inst-rument, for purposes which will behereaftei shown.

The switch-board 27 is ot` au ordinary form, and is provided with suitable switches and ground-wires, to

enable the telegraph-superintendent tovmanipulate the circuits and battery, as will be presently shown; and on it, or near it, is arranged the key-board 2S, on which are conveniently arranged the keys I -P A B, and so on, o'iie for each loop 0r circuit, together with one or moresounders for leach loop, a paper registerfor recording the alarm given on the fire-alarm telegraph,

and a galvanometer for showing the degree ci'` intensityv of the elect-ric current, the two instrumentsdast named being simply for convenience, and not forming essential featuresof the mechanism for. my system; The`portions of the telegraph-circuits between the various signal-boxes and tire-department instruments in niy system (except where the ground forms a part of the'circuit) consist of common'telegrapli-wire,`.wliicli l is carried, ou suitable insulators,oii,tlie tops ot' buildj ingsfor Aon poles, in an ordinary manner. t The battery, switch-board, key-board, ige-alarin in-l struments, police instruments, and ysignal-boxes, having been located in various parts ot` the-city, .in the gener-al inaiiiiei described, the construction ofthe circuit or series of circuitsfuniting suchl instruments in one complete system, is a matter which will depend very muchV on the skill and judgment of t-'lie telegraph engineer having charge' of the construction; but the 'following description will serve to give an illustration of one mode of arranging the circuit iii the city represented in-ig. l:

Coninieiicing at the repair-office, station 20, on tlie switch-board 27, at A,.1 riin the circuit or loop A B through the signal-boxes, Nos. 5 and 3, 2, and through the lire-alarm instrument at cngine-bonse No.1, back to the switch-board at B'. Then, commencingvon the switch-board at E, I run the circuit 'ci'. loop E F, `through signLl-bog No. 18, fire-alarm instrument at 4engine-house No. 17,'and sgnal-boxes Nos. 15 and 1G, bacltto the switch-board at .F. Then, oominencf ing on the switch-board, at C, I run the circuit or loop C D through sigiial-box No. 7, fire-alarm"instrument at engine-house No. 8, signal-boxes Nos. 10, 11, and 12, and tire-alarm 4instrument at engine-house No. 13, back tothe switch-board atD. i

These tlircecii'cuits' or loops, A B, E'F, and G D, form the ire-alarin circuit, and, when the whole sys- 'tcm is in order, they are all united together in one continuous circuit.` i

The talking or police-circuit, which is marked circuit P P in fig. 1, and is represented by double-dotted lines, is run from tbe'switch-board at P, through the police-circuit instruments at police-station No. 4, engine-house No. 8,policestaticn No. 9, engine-house No. 13, police station No. 14, engine-house No. 17, police station No. 19, and engine-house No. 1, back to the switch-board at l.

Assuming, for convenience, that the ends ot' these several circuits are at the top ofthe switch-board, (as would be the case were the several loops or circuits brought into the upper part. of the building containing the repair' otiee,) and that the keys P P, A B, E F, and (l D, are in the different loops` P P, A B, E F, and C D, the ends ot' thcdiierent circuits will be represented by the dotted lines P P, A B, E F, C, and D, on the switch-board 2T, as shown in rigs. 9 'to 16.

The poles of the dilferent battery sections being designated by the letters I" P', A' B', and so on, and wires being attached to said poles, I bring the ends of the battery wires P' l to the switch-board 27 at b b, as indicated by dottedlines at each side of the circuitwires I P.

The battery-wire A is brought to the switch-board at the right-hand side of the circuit-wire A, and the battery-wire B is brought to the right-bami side of the circuit-wire E.

rlhe battery-wire is brought to the right-hand side of the circuit-wire C, and the battery-wire F is brought to the left-hand side ot the circuit-wire B.

The battery-wire C' is brought to the left-hand side ofthe circuit-wire F, and the battery-wire D' is brought to the left-hand side of the circuit-wire D, and bat-` tery-wires marked bat are brought from the poles G' and F to the switch-board, as shown by wires, indicated by dotted lines C' rnd F', haring but marked over them.

The switch 1 is piroted on the end of the batterywiie D'. Switch 2 is pivoted on the end of the circuit-wire C switch 3 on the end of the battery-wire 0'; switch 6 on the end of the battery-wire F', bat; switch 7 on the battery-wire B'; switch 8 on the end of the circuit-wire E; switch 9 on the end oi' battery-wire F', switch 11 on the end of the battery-wire A', andswiiches 13 and 1.4 on the ends of the battery-wires P' P'.

The switches 4, 5, 10, and 12 are pivoted at the ends of wires extendingr into the ground, and are used to ground the ends of the wires F, C', B, and A, respectively, andthe wires c d o s u w y are groundwires, which are used in connection with the switches 1, 2, 6, 8, 11, 13, and 14, for grounding the ends of the wires on which said switches are placed.

If, now, the switches 11, 9, 8, 3, 2, and 1,be turned onto the anvils t, fr, q, h, c, and a, which are ou the ends of the wires A, B, B', F, E', and D, respectively, as shown in fig, 9, we shall have the continuous circuit with distributed battery, represented in fig. 10,` in which A' B', C D', and E' F', represent the sections of the tire-alarm circuit-battery, and A B, C D, and E F, the three loops of the {ire-alarm circuit. v

As the electric current is evolved by the decomposition of the negative metal, (zinc,)and passes through the acid fluid in the battery to the positive metal, (coppea) the course of the current through the batterysections is from the negative to the positive pole,paud over the circuits connecting the poles of the batterysections the course is from the positive to the negative pole, from which it is evident that the current on the circuit in iig. 1'0 has the direction indicated by arrows, so that the large battery-section C' D', which contains three cells, werks over the large loop D O, and the smaller battery-sections, E' F' and A' B', each of which contain two cells, work over the small loops v B A and E F, thus distributing the battery into the' circuit in a very perfect manner.

The advantages resulting from distributing the battery into the circuit will be readily seen, by converting the circuit represented inig. 10 into a continuous circuit, with concentrated battery,"as represented in iig. 11, which is done byturning the switch 9 oifvfrom the anvil l11, turning the switch 8 onto said anvil, turning the switch 7 onto the anvil m, on a wire connected with the wire E', as indicated by dotted lines, turning the switch 6 onto the anvil fi, ou the end ot" the wire C', bat., turning the switch 3 ofi" from the anvil h, and turning the switch 2 onto said anvil, thus obtainingr the arrangement of switch-board, shown in tig. 11, by which the adjacent poles, E' B and F C', of the battery-sections are connected, so as to make the battery one complete section, and the ends B E and G F of the loops are also connected, so as to form one loop, which is united, at its ends A and D, to the ends A' and D' of the complete battery.

In this arrangement of the battery and circuit it is evident that, while there may be a very strong current on the wire near the positive battery-pole D', the intensity of such current will be more or less diminished by imperfect insulations of the lille, so that, if the line be ot'a reryextcnded character, the intensity on the portion B A will be materially less than that on the portion D G, and au instrument adjusted to work inthe portion D G would not workin the por'- tion B A, nor would a battery-power, sufficient to op'- erate the instruments on the portion D C, be suiiicient to operate the instruments on the portion B A.

But, in the arrangement shown in iig. 10, the loop D G is of a moderate length, and, consequently, there is but little diii'erenee in the Iintensity ot" the current at its ends, and, if the battery-power of the section C' D is sufficient to work the loop D C, itis all that is necessary, as the other portions, B' A and E F, are worked by their own battery sections, E' F and A' B.

It will be evident to the elcctrician'that. the particular manner of combining the circuit-loops and the battery-sections may be somewhat varied, to suit circumstances, care being taken to have each loop connect the positive pole of one section with the negative pole of the other section, .to which'it is attached.

As eitherof the arrangements of the lire-alarm circuit, shown in figs. 10 or 11 are continuous circuits, embracing all the signal-'boxes` and fire-alarm instruments in the city, as specified in the-lirst clause of my statement of invention, I 'will explain the working of such circuit in its complete-form, before explaining the'lnode of locating breaks, and of 'electrically repairing and working the line when broken.

In place of dividing the city into fire-districts, for the purpose of assigning cert-aiu territory to the care of the diiierent companies in the tire department, as has been the practice under previous systems of tirealarm telegraphs, I effect the same result by assigning t0 each company cr companies the care of iires or alarms occurring near certain signal-boxes, as, for example, in thc city, represented in fig. 1, I would issue the following directions to the companies.

Engine No. 1 will attend fires at signal-boxes Nos. 2, 3, 6, and 1S, and station 20.

Engine No. 8 will attend fires at signal-boxes Nos. 5, 6, 7, and 10.

Engine No. 13 will attend res et signal-boxes Nos. 11, 12, and 16,-and station 20. A Engine No. 1T will attend fires at signal-boxes Nos. 15, 16, and 18. v

It will be observed that two origines have orders'to attend tires at boxes 6, 16, and 18, and at station 20, as I have assumed that these boxes are located in the central part of the city, where property is very valuable and buildings are close together, so that a irc shtpuld be brought immediately under control, if p'os- Si e. i l v i Suppose that a fire breaks out in thevicinit'y of box No. 15'. i The personr seeing the fire willv run to box No. 15, get the key at the place indicated onthe box,

i open the door of the box andl draw down the winding lever L, by means of theknob at its end, by which the weight O will be drawn up, when, on releasing the lever L, the circuit-wheel J will revolve from right to lett, and the pins or notcheson it will vibrato the key K, and thus open the circuit, in such a manner' vas to l cause the blows |l-| I I l|-l il ll-l-I IVI to be struck onthc sounder N, (which is brought into the circuit by the opening of the box-doen) or, it the circuit-wheel be 'constructed to give the valarm with the improved fire-alarm signal, shown in reissued Letters Patent No', 4,012, granted t-o Alexanderl Allen, June 7,1870, the alarm will consist of these blows'l l ll l l' l'l lll l l l|-l l li |`,.as is more fully set forth in the patent reierredto. i

i But, as all the engine-houses and signal-boxes are in the same continuous circuit, it is seen that the alarm will be also strnckat everyre-alarm instrumentrin the city,l so that engine-'houses 1, 13, 8, and

17, will allreceve inst-ant notice of the `fire, and eugine No. 17` .wilt-immediately run to box No. 15, while the other engiueswill put themselves in readiness to I f the,l frerat box N 15 should prove to be too large to'bemanaged by engine No.`17, whose duty it was to attend-suchvre,`tlre chief engineer, `or other loliiccr having charge of the tire. department forces at the fire, will gn 'tobox l5and call engine No; 13, by means of thekey M, and order them `to come to the lire, `or co send a'hose-carriage, or a wagon with fuel,

The vzuious orders for the direction of the depart` `nient are conveniently arranged in codes, in which a certain number lis used to denote a. particular' order,

as for example, l-I l l, 0r 13,l may mean come to lire uithsteamerand hose-carriage; l-I l1| I, or 14, come to fire with hosecan-i`age; l-I, or 21,' come to re er 25, holse sick, out of service; and so on, for every. order which isnecessary, thus greatly facilitating the transmission oforders, and saving valuable Itime in managing the lire. l

As occasion might occur 'for sending an order or asking a question ivliielrwas not laid down in a sys- A tem oi codes, it is desirable to have an alphabet which can be readily used by'the firemen, with a moderate amount opractice, and without the long study required to become an expert `operator with the Morse alplrabet,fand for this purposea numerical alphabet ot the following formwill be found desirable A isv I-l l,or 13, that is, one blow followed by Y alphabet'the number of blows constituting a letter are arranged'to correspond with the frequency of' the.

' thevire to the lire department.

use of' such' letteriu practice, the letters most frequently 'used, ll' and T, having the least number of blows, and so on.

If' the lire nearbox` 15 should be noticed by a perlson near-box 16, he could go to box 16, and, by means Aot' the keyM in said bex, could give the alarm for box 15 `thus avoidiu'fnan dela in ivinfr notice of 1, a p o Itis also seen that the fire-alarm circuit can be used byfany ot' the lire department officers away from Ythe location ot the fire, for inquiringr of the olicer at the box-` near the fire about the progress of the re, as, upon opening any box in the whole circuit, the person opening the box is at once enabled to communicate with personsat any other open boxes, or at any of the fire-department oices.

In 'all these; telegraphic manipulations on the firealarmcircuit during the announcement, management, yand closing of a fire, it is seen that the repair oce, with the exception ot' the battery, forms no essential -f'eature of' the system, so that it' the line was never broken, there would be no need of such office, and

the circuit-ends A BE F GD could be attached directly to the battery-poles Ay F' B' CvED, when any signal-box or lire-alarm instrument would be a suitable station from which to direct the operations ot' the fire department,

But as the circuit-wires are liable to be broken,

` either by accident or design, which would break the circuit, itis necessary to have some means ot repairingthe circuit, with the least possiblel delay, and I will new explain-how such repairs are made by the telegraph superintendent at-the repair office.

It will be noticed that the continuous lire-alarm circuit just described, is wholly a metallic circuit, ot'

which the ground forms no part; and that it is worked as a closed circuit, so that the electro-magnets infthe.`

lire-department instruments keep the armature levers drawn upto them at all times, unless the circuit is broken, so that, if the fireinengor. superintendent see an armature lever 'standing' drawn back from the magnets by the tension-spring', they know that the circuit has'been broken-- Y The superintemlent, on learning of' the break, goes to the switch-board 27 at the-repair oiiice,'station 20,

'and turnsswitches 2v and 3 onto theran'vhs f and g at the ends of a short wire, indicated' by dotted lilies.

Then he turns switch' onto anvil 7c at the end of wire connected tocircuit-wire'F, and switch 7 onto -anvill at the end of wire connected to circnit-WireB,

and switch 8 onto the lanvil p at the end of wire connected to battery-wire E', and .arranges the other switches as shown in fig. 12;"by which he connects veach separate loopwith the poles' ,ot )its battery-sec- "tion, thus makjngthelirc-alarm circuitinto three distinct circuits, each wit-h its own battery, as indicated by dia rrams in lig. 12.V l

VWe will suppose the break to have been made between .boxes 10 and 11 in the O D circuit The superintendent, having arranged the circuits A B, E 'and G'D, as'shown in iig. 12,` tries the A B circuit by means of the key A B, and finds that the sounder on that circuit lworks correctly, showing that the A Bcireuit is unbroken.

He then tries the E F circuit by means of the key El?, and finds-that circuit complete, showing that the break is on the C Dcireuit.

` He can then .unite the A B and E E circuits into a continuous circuit, witlrdi'stribnted battery, as shown in right-hand diagramiu lig. 13, by turning vswitch 9 `onto anvil/r, turning switch 7 onto anvil a atv end oi' wire connected with circuit-wireF, and tnruingswitch 6 olf from anvil 7,1, as shownv by switch-board in iig. 13, thus putting the MB and E F loops into service, or, it' preferred, these loops might be united and worked with .concentrated battery, as shown in igl,

by an arrangement of switches, readily seen by any electrician, from an examination of that diagram, and the arrangement of switch-boards shown in figs. 11 and 12.

Now, to locate the break in circuit C D, he grounds .the pole C' of the battery-section C D', by turning switch 5 onto the anvil i, and turns the switches 13 and 14 onto the anvils 'u andy x, thus connecting the battery-section P ll with the circuit P P, and putting the police circuit into service.

Then, by means of the key l? 1, he. calls engine- Ihouse No. 13 on the police circuit, and on the police instrument at that engine-house, and directs the attendant to puton the left ground-wire on the firealarm instrument, which the attendant does by turning swth 2G onto anvil on wire marked L Gr' W, (see iig. 5.)

He now tries the key C D, and finds he has a cornplete ground-circuit, having one end grounded at the battery-pole C', and the other end at engine-house No. 13, showing that the loop C D is 'not broken between station 20 and engine-house N o. 13.

He now directs engine-house No. 13 to take of ground-wire, and directs engine-house No.8 to put on. left ground-wire, using thc police circuit for this purpose, as before. l

He now tries the key C D, as before, and finds he has no circuit, showing that the break in the line is between engine-houses Nos. S and 13.

He can now direct engine-house No. 13 to put on left grouml-wire, and engine-house No. 8 to take oil" left and pnton right ground-wire, thus obtaining a ground-circuit embracing both the engine-houses 'Nos 8 and 13, as shown in center' diagram in iig. 13,

as is readily seen, so that he has a circuit to all the engine-houses, and can repeat orders from the broken C D circuit to the continuous A B, E F circuit, and 'vice ccrsa, as is readily seen; but a more complete repair of the continuons circuit will be presently shown.

lhe portion of the C D circuit between enginehouses Nos. 8 and 11 being of considerable length, and embracing several boxes, it is desirable to locate the break within shorter limits before leaving the repair ofice station 20;` and for this purpose, the wire marked ground-wire No. 1 is attached to the cincuit C D at signal-box No. 1], which is near the certer of this loop, and is brought acrossto the switchboard 27, asindicated by single dotted line, where it is marked G', and is provided'with the'switch 1-5.

n This wire is termed a f cross ground-wire, and a similar ground-wire, marked ground-wire No. 2, is

attached to tlie circuit A. B at box No. 3, and isl brought across to the switch-board, where it is marked G2.'

Now, if the superintelldent, after putting on the left ground-wire at engine-house No. 8, and finding that the break was between engine-houses Nos. 8 and 13, should put on his cross ground-wire No. 1, by turning switch 15 onto ground-wire s', he would obtain a complete ground-circuit, having one end grounded at the battery-pole G, and extending through station 13, 12, and 11, over cross ground-wire No.` 1 to switch-board, where it is grounded at s, showing that break is between box No.11 and engine-house No.8.

The line is now nut in electrical repair by connecting the circuits A B, E F, and C D, with the battery- Sections A B, E 1*", and C D', as described in figs. E) and 10, putting on the right ground-wire at enginehouse No. S, and leaving on the cross ground-wire No. 1, thus obtaining a continuons grouml-circuit, distributed battery, as shown in fig. 15, and leaving but one signal-box out of' the circuit.

If the superintendent wishes to nd between which two boxes or stations the break is located, so as to rcpair the broken wire, or to electrically repair the cir- `facing the circuit C D) by means of the switch 19,

(see fig. 2.) l

Then he tries the circuit by means of the kev M, and finds he has a circuit toward engine-house 1 o. 8, showing that the break is between stations 10 and 1l, as he' had located it between stations 8 and 11 before leaving the repair oiiicc.

Leaving the right ground-wire on box No. 10, he

goes to box No. 11, and puts on the left ground-wire (unless the cross ground-wire No. 1 is on thcleft-hand side of the box mechanism, in which ease hc would ground by that wire at the repair otiice,) then ret-urns to thc repair ofiice and connects thc circuit and battery-sections, as shown in figs. 15, thus obtaining a continuons circuit, with distributed battery, einbracing all the signal-boxes and fire-alarm instruments in the city.

From this description it is seen that the object of using a right and left hand ground-wire on each instrument is to keep the instrument in the circuit at all times; and it is evident that, where there are both fire-alarm and police instruments in the same oiiice, one ground-wire would answer for each instrument; but it is desirable to have the two gronlnl-wires whenever it is convenient.

. It is also seen that the cross grouinl-wire No. l might be brought to'engine-house No. 13, instead of' to the repair oiiicc, station 20, in which case it would be grounded by the attendant at the engine-house, under the direction of the superintclnlent.

If we suppose thc break iu'the circuit to be in the mechanism ot' box No. 10, the superintendent would not have had a circuit by putting on the rightgroundwire, as was before explained -in locating the breaks between boxes 1() and 1l.

Should he find this to be the case, he could try the left ground-wire by bringing the. switch 2G up to the anvil on said. wire, and noticing whether any spark passes from one to the other, or 11e could put on the left ground-wire and walk back to engine-house No. 8 and. try the circuit.

In either case, if he found he had a circuit, he would know that the break was between the switches 20 and 19 in box N 10, showing that the circuit through the box was broken and needed attention.

Suppose, for a second example, that the line is broken between stations 11 and lzand stations 2 and 3. rlhe superinteinlent switches the circuitnto three loops, as shownin figs. 12, and, by means of the keys A B, E F, and C D, tries the three circuits, and finds that the E E circuit is cpmplcte, and that the A B and C D circuits are broken.

Leaving the E F circuit as a separate metallicloop, he grounds the battery-pole C', and, by means of the P l circuit, he orders engine-house No. 13 to put on left grouiul-wire, by which he gets a ground circuit, showing that there is no break between stations 20 and 13.

'lhcn he orders fo 13 to take oli" grouiul-wire, and puts on the cross grouiul-wire No. 1, and tries the key C D, but gets no circuit, showing that thc break on the C D circuit is between stations 11 and 13.

He now orders engine-house No. 13 to put on left ground-wire, unites the battery-poles C 11", unites the circuit ends C and F, and unites the circuit end E to battery-pole'E, thus uniting the E F and C D circuits and .putting themin service, as shown in centergure in figs. 16.A

' ...To find the breakin the A B circuit, vhe grounds the'battery-pole A', and orders engine-house No. 1 to putonleft ground-wire, by which he gets a ground circuit. i r i I He then orders No. 1 `to take oil' ground wire, and

p ut s on his cross ground-wire. No.4 2,.but gets no cirut, showing `that the break is Vbetween stationsl an i i.

Bo now orders engine-house No.1 to put ou leftground wire,"aud connects .the battery-pole A to the circuit end A,.t hus obtaining'th'e ground circuit,

shown in right-hand ligure, iutig. 16, by which he completes'the fire-alarm circuit in. two' ground loops, ou whic'norders may be' repeated f'rom` one to the other, as bcforeexplained. t

In this description 1', have 'assumed that the firealarm' instruments are all Tin the main circuit, and are worked directly by the main battery, without the aid of a .local circuit battery and relay.

It it were found desirable to indicate'the occurrence of a break .in the circuit by ablow-on the fire- .alarm gongs. instead of indicating such break simply4 by the position o f the armature level', as was before explained, I place a relay in the Vmain circuit and arrange the sounderA on va local circuit with llocal battery, and arrange the 'relay so as to close the local circuit on the back stroke, from which it is evident that the local circuit will be closed bythe breakr ing Vof the, main circuit, thus "causinga blow to be The police circuit P P, which was not described as' being in service untilithe occurrence of a break, is

really kept in service 'at all times, and serves as the ordinary talking circuit, the fire-alarm circuit being ordinarily used on1y in' case attire.

Should a break occur in tbe P P circuit, it can readily be located and electricallyrepaired bythe aid of the lire-alarm circuit, in a manner readily seen' from the foregoing description ofthe mode of locatingand repairing breaks in the fire-alarm circuit. The peculiar advantages of my improved system of firelalarm telegraphs'over previous systems, and the difference between it and previous systems will be best seen by 4applying those systems to the city, as shown in g. 1, aud-examining their operations.

Descriptions of the old systems of fire-alarm telegraphs are found in Letters Patent No. 17,355,'dated May 19, 1857, granted to NV. F. ,Channing as assiguee ot' Channing and Farmer, (a more complete description of which is `found in Sillimans Journal, 2d series, vol. 13, in an article entitled On the municpal electric telegraph, especiallyin its application to ire-alarms,) and in Letters Patent No. 23,060, dated February 22,' 1859, granted to W. F. Ghanning, vassignee ot? M. G. Farmer.

The first-mentioned-system is knownas The .American Fire-Alarm Telegragh, and may be termed the city system, and its essential circuit features are.

First, the signal circuits, which consist of several loops, running out from the central otlice, and eachV instead of being placed. in 4an oliice, winchis simply.

embracing` certain of the signal boxes in the city..

Second, the alarm circuits,j\vhiel 1 consist of one or more loops runningv ou'tvfrom the centraloliice', and lembracing certain bell-towers or other buildings, en-. taining large bells, which are struckby machinery iu the manner. vdescribed in Lettersflatent No. 8,920, dated May4, 1852, granted to Moses G. Farmer, or embracing otlieiysuitable meehanismfor sounding-a public alarm.-

The other essential feature of this ysystem is, vthe alarmcircuits terminate, and Where all communications are reeeived'from the signal-circuits by an op'- erator, and transmitted 'over thealarm-eircuits. Figure 17 represents an application of this city system to the cit`y, shown- Vin fig. 1, in which we have the city divided intofour districts, and the signalboxes arranged in three loops or"signalcircuits,. and the bell towers arranged on'one alarm-circuit.

rSuppose .now that a lire breaks out at box No.5.v The person discovering the lre'gocs to box No.5 and turusjn the alarm, as in I ny system, but this'alarm. is'transmitted,.not to the engine-houses, but to the centraloieaas the engine-houses`-are not ou the signal-circuit, with the box No. 5, nor are they described as being on anycircuit.

lhe'operator at the /central oliec gets the alarm signal from box N o. 5, and thus becomes aware of a fire in District No. 2, but the'remer at engine-house yet heard of it.

Central otlice operator then pnts"a battery on' the. alarm-circuit, which is without a battery, except when analarm is to be sounded, and, by means of a key or other mechanism, strikes on the bells in the towers of the alarm-circuit the number of tlie'district inA which t-h'e alarm of lire is given, which, in this case, is No. 2, and "not the number oi the vboil giving the alarm of lire.

By this means the firemen learn that there is a tire in District No. 2, and start ont to find it.'

To give them the location of the fire, the centraloliice operator, after giving the district number on the alarm-circuit turns to the signal-circuits, and 'repeats on them the. number of the box giving the alarm, and as the magnets in the signal-boxes in this city systemare left in the circuit at all times, if the firemen will run to the nearest box, they will hear- .the number of the box givingthe alarm, and can thuslearn where togo to the're.

The second-men'tioned'system is termed the town system, as it is dcsigned for smaller cities or towns, f and dispenses with a central'oiiice.

It consists of one circuit, embracing'the several `signal-boxes in the. city, yand also the'several belltowers, or other public. 'alarm-sounding mechanisms, and its application to the city, shown in f igrl, is fully shown iu lig.v 18.'

this system,;thc bells on the bell-towers will -atonce strike or 2, .the number of the district, or i 1 |,or 5, the number ofthe boxfdepending on them-rangement of the'circuit-wheel in the 'signal-box,

It is almost needless to say that -neither of these systems present any such facilities for managing the fire department, or for locatingbreaks, or for eleetri ll y repairing the circuit, or for an economical use of the battery-power, as are found in my improved system, as it will be evident to any eleetrieian,from an examination of figs. 17 and'18, tiiat nearly all of the manipulations shown on Amy system could not be performed on either of these systems.

board, key-board, or circuit,- taken separately, as the first of these features issimply an ordinary telegraph apparatus placed in a box out of doors, it may be,

.central office, at which all the signal-circuits and No. 8, whose duty it isto attend this Afire, have not lf an alarm of tire be turned in at box No.5 on

I lay no claim to a signal-box or battery, 'or switchthe features are weil known to every electrician.

C' latins.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The continuous re alarm telegraplreircuit herein described, the same consisting ot" acontinuous metallic circuit, or a continuons ground and metallic cir cuit, provided with suitable battery-power, and embracing all the signal-boxes at various points in the city, or a large portion thereof, and electro-magnetic Sounders at each of the fire-department otiiees, so that an alarm given at any signal-box will be at once announced 'to every tire-department office without giving a public alarm, substantially as specified.

2. The arrangement of a continuons tire-alarm circuit, embracing all the signal-boxes and fire-department instruments, in two or more loops, and the combination of rthe said loops with the sections of the circuit-battery, so as to distribute the battery into the circuit, snbstant-iallyas is herein specified.

3. The combination of a continuous iire-alarm circuit, embracing all the signal-boxes and fire-department instruments, and arranged in two or more loops;

a circuit-battery, divided into two or more sections, and a switch-board provided with suitable switches,

and so combined with the circuit and battery as that said circuit can he worked as a continuous metallic circuit, with distributed battery, or as a continuous ground 'and metallic circuit with distributed battery, or as two or more ground loops or metallic loops, each with its own battc1'ysecti0xi, substantially as is hercin specified. y

4. The combination with a fire-alarm circuit, em-

bracing all the signal-boxes and lire-alarm instruments, of a talking or police-circuit, working independent of the tire-alarm circuit, but having au electro-inaffnetic sounder at each ot' the firealepartmcnt oces 1n the Ere-alarm circuit; snbstantiaily as and for the purpose specified.

in those fire-department otiices, having an instrument on both the fire-alarm and police-circuits of one or two ground-wires with accompanying switches, the

, several parts being arranged substantially as and for the purpose specified. l

6. The combination with a fire-alarm signal-box, of two ground-switches, located ou the main tirealarm circuit, one at each side ofthe operating mechanism, and arranged to connect with suitable groundwire or wires, substantially as is herein specified.

7. 'lhe combination of a cross ground-wire Awith the loop oi a fire-alarm circuit, substantially as and for. the purpose specified. Y

8. A continuous realarm circuit, provided with suitable battery, and embracingr all the signal-boxes and fire-department instruments, said signal-boxes being provided with such operating mechanism as that the closing of the signal-box door, switches the electro-magnets out ofthe main circuit, thus obtaining a combined working and reserve circuit, substantially as specified.

As evidence of the foregoing, I have hereuuto,set my hand, this 11th day ofJnne, A. D. i870.

SYLVANUS D. GUSHMAN.

Witnesses:

lan A. CHASE, Jon Anotrr.

5. lhe combination with the telegraph instruments 

